Two businessmen have launched a bid to save Canberra's failed rail museum, with plans to make it a home for all kinds of historic vehicles.

The museum's historic collection will go under the hammer next week after the company behind it collapsed, leaving behind $700,000 of debt.

This led to fears its precious assets - including carriages that took men off to two world wars - would be lost.

But Ian Oliver and Dallas Dogger say they've offered a "substantial" sum to buy the museum's steam engines and carriages and keep some of the history in the nation's capital.

Bob Hall

Post subject: Re: Canberra Railway Museum (Australia) Closing Down

Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 8:56 pm

Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:37 amPosts: 130

As one of the people seriously affected by all this, I can't add anything to the items posted by Supersnoop Mitchell (LOL).We're all hoping the matter gets resolved quickly, as the liquidator's bill is apparently about $250,000 already and rising at $550 per hour.Cheers, Bob.

kew

Post subject: Re: Canberra Railway Museum (Australia) Closing Down

Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:01 pm

Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2017 3:13 amPosts: 24

Nice work if you can get it. Could've restored a loco or two for that.

A last-ditch bid to save Canberra's historic rail museum was rejected 24 hours ahead of an auction to sell off its assets.

The museum's collection will go under the hammer on Wednesday after the company behind it collapsed, leaving $700,000 of debt behind.

Ian Oliver and Dallas Dogger from Capital Holdings said they had offered a "substantial" sum to buy a collection of museum assets including steam engines and carriages.

They had planned to open a transport museum at the Kingston site which would include old fire engines and working train exhibits.

But their offer was rejected on Tuesday morning, with liquidators instead encouraging them to bid for assets at auction.

"We were not given the opportunity to discuss, revise, or change our offer and that has disappointed us, as we sincerely wanted to help," Mr Dogger said.

"We had made it clear that we were willing to work with other parties for the good of the collection, working towards a sustainable outcome.

"This was not a cynical grab for assets by us. Far from it, our motives were philanthropic and proudly ACT-based."

More at the link.

Bob Hall

Post subject: Re: Canberra Railway Museum (Australia) Closing Down

Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 2:38 am

Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:37 amPosts: 130

The auction took place this morning. It was well attended and realised a bit over $400,000, I believe.This will go some way, but there's about $500,000 more to find.Nobody knows what's going on with the Garratt. We'll just have to wait and see if it gets offered up.For you diesel freaks, 4468 went for $4,000. That's well below the $10,000 that more complete versions were sold off in large numbers by State Rail back in 1995 and most of those went to scrappies.Steam loco 3102 went for $37,000.Cheers, Bob

Steam crane 1055 was bought by Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum for $11,000 all up (match vehicle was sold separately to the main body, but they bought both lots).The gantry crane sold for not much ( I think about 4 grand) and was probably bought by a scrappie. It had been part of the land lease, which was originally owned by the Commonwealth Government, but when Commonwealth Railways were dissolved, the land went to NSW State Rail. When it was dissolved, the property went to the ACT Government and they apparently gave the OK to sell it. We used the crane on a few occasions for carriage lifts, but it needed repairs and also safety upgrades, so we hadn't used it for probably 5 years or more.Cheers, Bob

To put this into proper perspective, imagine if this were done with AT&SF 3751, UP 3985, or N&W 1218--literally a couple months after the flue time expired.

Certainly wasn't expecting to see this happen - will be interesting the outcome of the auction. For some reason, I thought that there was still an element of State (ie NSW) ownership in this loco.At least it won't be able to go overseas due to restictions on the export of "heritage" items from Australia nowadays.

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